there are a few dinners that you may have in your life that will stay with you forever - they are the pinnacle of dining in every way. i once ate at lasserre in paris, and that was pretty amazing - and it wasn’t just the food - although the food was superb, but the service was also impeccable, it was impossibly french AND the painted ceiling opened silently and suddenly we were staring up at the parisian starlit sky… it was the culmination of the entire experience that made it rise above the rest. it was a magical memory in the making.
just last week i was fortunate enough to share a similar evening at ‘per se’ with my friend carol of the award winning blog, ‘french laundry at home‘. (carol recently posted a detailed account of our evening here.)
this menu was not the usual 9 course tasting. it was our menu, printed for us before we left. they had added many extra courses - nearly double, saying to carol when we sat down - as they presented her a lovely bottle of champagne, ”because you cook the food…”. so we began the night off with a gentle clink of our glasses - “to the best of friends and of course, to the best of food”.
i took all the pics as discretely as i could (iphone) and to use these primitive shots as a recreation of the dishes that were presented before us, is almost blasphemous. but please be kind for they are for you, dear readers…
(”oysters and pearls”)
(”citrus cured hamachi”)
(”white truffle oil-infused custard”)
(”sauteed grimaud farms “foie gras d’oie”)
(”terrine of gimaud farms “foie gras d’oie”)
(”grilled ‘pave’ of bigeye tuna”)
(”pan seared maine sea scallop”) - chef benno forgive me for this shot
(”arrowleaf spinach rigatini”) - and chef benno, especially forgive me for this shot
(”cavendish farm’s “caille en crepinette”)
(”ribeye of marcho farm’s nature fed veal, “rotie entiere”)
(”coffee and doughnuts”)
(”mont blanc”)
and there were 4 more plates that i never shot. plus a few little extra courses not even on our menu (salmon tartare cornets? i am so looking at you…). and i need to tell you about one of our dishes called “smoke”, as it was truly performance art. a crystal domed bowl arrived at our table filled with a pale ethereal swirling substance - and immediately, as it was placed before us, the tops were lifted and a waft of rich smokiness ascended to my nose. and there on the bottom of the bowl sat a japanese sardine with italian eggplant puree and pimenton oil. it was pretty damn cool…
my glass of red wine was unlike any other i had ever tried. it definitely stood apart - it had this different vibe that i loved. and it somehow kept changing throughout the half dozen or so courses that it lasted.
i called the vineyard and they were very kind, explaining that when you fill out the waiting list form online - it then takes up to 2 years to be on their mailing list - although longer for the pinots which sell out in just over a week.
before we left we were offered a tour of the kitchen…
(these low, big burnered and powerful stoves are for making stock, for instance)
(seriously perfect vegetables - rumor has it that the receiving dept turns away 75% of everything presented)
(ummm, ahhh the pacojet room?)
(where the sweets are created)
(baking the bread - also for bouchon bakery)
(a reminder for the kitchen - the definition of finesse…)
when we got back to our hotel and after the bellman had brought me a cold diet dr. pepper, carol and i played the ‘if you could pick 3 courses only’ game. i struggled hard with this. and the best i could do was to narrow it down to 5 and even that was extremely difficult.
- parsnip vanilla soup with tarragon infused olive oil
- white truffle oil infused custard with a ragout of black winter truffles
- both foie gras course(s) - i can not choose between them. i just can’t, ok?
- spinach rigatini with dungeness crab, preserved lemon, basil and beurre d’oursin
- coffee and doughnuts - cause a girl’s just gotta have dessert
oh, oysters and pearls, i have not forsaken thee in all your glorious caviarness. you and the parsnip soup were so very close, but when the vanilla aroma hit my face i was a goner…
‘per se’ sends you home with a small bag of cookies to perhaps extend the experience just a bit further. i packed them and later shared them with my daughter, hoping one day i might be able to take her with me,
but for now this would have to do…
a big thank you to ‘per se’ for being the most nonpretentious and exquisite restaurant i have ever dined in. the evening was a blast and your entire staff was beyond warm and kind and funny and easy going and smart and cool - with a big shout out to jonathan benno. chef benno, had you been a single man i would have kissed you on the mouth and meant it. and thanks to carol for agreeing to be my dining partner - i got very lucky on that one, no doubt. and to ”M” - i owe you. and to cary who although wasn’t there, footed my end of the bill. it was the best valentine’s day gift ever. thank you baby.
so i’m with carol in saying that we are both so incredibly fortunate. and i am unbelievably grateful and even humbled to have been able to spend 4 hours in per se’s care and experience a culinary extravaganza such as this.
THANK YOU THOMAS KELLER… YOU ARE A GENIUS!
and guys? i’ll be back…
32 responses so far ↓
1 ponyboat // Feb 26, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Oh my! A retractible ceiling in NYC!! And more doughnuts. Sounds like the culinary trip of a lifetime. And you do this sort of thing regularly, what a life! It was great to share a little bit of that with you last night here in the big N. No retractible ceiling, but the entertainment was without equal. Who knew there was so much to learn about bad wine?
2 Klinde // Feb 26, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Makes the grilled smoked gouda cheese sandwich I just consumed look like something I rummaged through the trash and retrieved…
What a delightful dining experience you had! Everything looks like it was sublime and superb. Makes you wish Nashville had opportunities for such a treat.
3 CeeElCee // Feb 26, 2008 at 2:21 pm
“Because you cook the food.” How awesome is THAT?!
French Laundry remains the only restaurant I daydream about. I’m so glad you got to get Kellerized.
4 ponyboat // Feb 26, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Oh, the retractible ceiling was in Paris. (sheepishly) never mind!
5 claudia // Feb 26, 2008 at 4:54 pm
pony - feeling a bit puny today. overdid the bad wine… but fun nevertheless!
klinde - it could never happen here. through no fault of nashville’s. these kinds of restaurants can only be supported by a few places. the cost alone would freak out the average fine diner… but a girl can dream!
cee - and said with some kind of totally cool accent… it was so very very very awesome. kellerized… perfect!
pony - paris, ny… ny, paris…
6 Lesley // Feb 26, 2008 at 4:59 pm
The vanilla parsnip soup sound verrrry intriguing. Much of the rest of it, not so much.
It does sound like quite an amazing experience (not just a meal).
Are doughnuts the new tiramisu or creme brulee? Are we going to see them on the dessert menu at chain restaurants in a couple of years?
7 ts // Feb 26, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Are those kitchen shots “secret” shots as well?
I know how clean kitchens should look but DAMN, THAT’S ONE CLEAN KITCHEN! Everything’s shiny and sparkling!! And this is *during* service?!!!
8 Joy // Feb 26, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Oh wow. I just spent way too long on your blog, catching up with your NYC trip and I am dazed and more impressed all the time with your blog, your photos, your dining experiences! Thanks for sharing so much. My favorites were the kitchen shots of per se. And all the desserts from everywere, of course.
ps: What kind of cookies were in the bag?
9 claudia // Feb 26, 2008 at 10:15 pm
lesley = per se has a vegetarian tastying menu, as well!
ts - no, the kitchen shots i used my point and shoot trusty cannon elph
joy - they were like an almond, orange, honey bar (guessing?) with a very thin pastry covered with chocolate on one side.
10 Meg // Feb 26, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Wow. Wow. What else can you say? Your own menu? A tour of the kitchen? At per se? WOW. I can’t even be jealous, I’m so impressed. Did it feel as dazzling as it sounds? Because it sounds FANTASTIC.
11 democommie // Feb 26, 2008 at 11:33 pm
Claudia:
It all sounds like it would be too much for me–though not in a bad way. I’ve never eaten that sort of meal but as long as I have folks like you and Tony Bourdain to tell me about Per Se and The French Laundry I will enjoy the meal as if I had.
12 Mari // Feb 27, 2008 at 5:03 am
OMG…can your man call my man and suggest that he give me a similar gift?! My man wouldn’t enjoy it as much as I could with a gourmet girlfriend. How about yours?
The whole experience sounds like what fine dining should be all about. Isn’t it fabulous that you don’t do it all the time, and can appreciate how fabulous it is?
13 Michelle @ Us vs. Food // Feb 27, 2008 at 9:23 am
i said it on carol’s blog, and i’ll say it here: holy fucking shit. you whole trip sounded great, but that takes the proverbial cake. it’s actually a good thing that the shots are a little grainy, because otherwise i would be having a cardiac incident at my desk.
14 claudia // Feb 27, 2008 at 9:33 am
michelle - i wonder when i’ll be able to swing a night like that again… what can i sell?
mari - my guy would enjoy it - but maybe not ‘get’ the bill. it is very very expensive. not overpriced though. i gotta say. expensive but worth it.
demo - there are many things in life i am learning to virtually enjoy…
meg - i was dazzled. how could i not be dazzled? i was even razzle dazzled…
15 Lauren // Feb 27, 2008 at 10:03 am
it all looks incredible! i’m drooling over the green bean looking pasta and the tuna the most though. and i gotta say, they were some really good cookies.
and you didn’t even share that you saw posh and becks.
16 Lauren // Feb 27, 2008 at 10:04 am
ooh ooh, and i love the kitchen finesse inspiration…
17 claudia // Feb 27, 2008 at 10:07 am
lauren - only cause i’m not that celebriry driven. quite frankly i’d not have had any idea who they were had carol not known immediately… she was dressed like a movie star and they had a body guard with them so i was wondering a little but much more interested in the food…
18 nm // Feb 27, 2008 at 11:39 am
I don’t know whether to drool or cry. Wow.
19 minimally invasive // Feb 27, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Well. Now I’m doing my best Bill Murray-in-What About Bob impression: “I waaaaaant. I neeeeeeed.” Only my desires are much more targeted.
20 melissa // Feb 27, 2008 at 4:06 pm
posh and becks? too funny.
love the look of the hamachi and tuna. but there’s really nothing else to say but wow. thank you very much for sharing this claudia. I can only hope to be in your shoes, er, chair one day.
by the by, the amateur gourmet (adam) recently lunched there for his bf’s birthday (and was known by the staff as well, apparently). you might enjoy his account if you haven’t read it already:
http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2008/02/the_seven_stage.html
21 Robert // Feb 27, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Amazing place.
The Performance Art thing I find a skosh worrisome. Maybe soon staff will see the advantage of using a real smoker and you’ll get more smoked fish with each order…….. one Sardine would just piss me off.
Other than that, beautiful.
22 claudia // Feb 27, 2008 at 6:20 pm
robert - not if you were getting 20 courses…. !!! but that is pretty funny and i would expect no less from you then that very comment…
23 Alice Q. Foodie // Feb 28, 2008 at 1:16 am
How fun! I am really liking your blog - and I love Carol’s - I am sure you guys had an absolute blast. 20 courses though, man - I don’t know - I think I’d be asking to come back the next day and finish!
I do know what you’re talking about though - a few months ago, I snuck away from a party at the Time Warner Center downstairs and went in there and had a drink by myself - they were soo nice to me. They gave me truffled potato chips and peanuts, and even comped one of my ($20.) drinks. It was great, I’m dying to go back and et there sometime!
24 democommie // Feb 28, 2008 at 7:51 am
Alice Q. Foodie:
A $20 drink? That, for me, would be an evening out! So, I think it’s safe to say, I will not be making a res there anytime soon. There’s always the lottery.
Claudia:
I think Tony Bourdain said that his dinner at The French Laundry was composed of over 30 courses, many of which were basically a mouthful fo something. I would hate to be the dishwasher!
25 Robert // Feb 28, 2008 at 9:38 am
Demo,
Im assuming that is what Dear Claudia is attempting to help us understand, that performing art and sparkling china does indeed dramaticly change how that lone Sardine tastes. Must choose to believe her because its not likely that I woud even be admitted with my credit rating.
Upside is dishwasher doesnt have much to wash off………….
26 democommie // Feb 28, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Robert:
Oh, I have no doubt of that. I’ve read about Keller’s artistry and would love to be in the position to enjoy it. Another upside for the dishwasher is job security.
27 jim voorhies // Feb 29, 2008 at 10:42 am
Well, if there’s anybody out there who deserved this, it’s you, Claudia, but I think the restaurant should have bumped up becks’ bill so they could have comped two food bloggers.
28 Soup of The Day // Feb 29, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Great post. I know what you mean about taking discrete pictures - and those darn iPhones are not the best in the dark. Been there myself. People always look at me like… Why is she taking pictures of our food??? I’m used to it now.
I’m jealous of your amazing dinner. 4 hours and 18 courses though - WOW. Man, I’m not sure I’d have the stamina.
29 yveala // Mar 9, 2008 at 2:02 pm
bravo iphone!
who’s posh and becks and i want parsnip vanilla soup soo bad..who would’ve thought?
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